Cylinder laundry machine



Sept. 16, 1930.

J. N. WHITE CYLINDER LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1929 Sq N 3Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JAMas N. WHn-a ATTORNEY.

Sept. 16, 1930. 1 N WH|TE 1,775,879

CYLINDER LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet, 2

INVENTOR. JAMES N. WHITE;

Qa A TTORNEY.

CYLINDER LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gnoenozyan1/96N White gzhehwfz a, Vogl,

A Patented cpt, 16, 193@ i s JAMES N. WHITE, DENVER, COLORADO CYLINDERLAUNDRY MACHINE appneati fied. December 2, 1929. serial No. 411,061.

This invention relates to cylinder laundry machines and particularly tothat class thereof in which there is a revolubly mounted cylindricalclothescontainer enclosed by an out- 51 er cylindrical casing, a portionof which casing is stationary and another portion of which casing isrotatable.

An object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the class-described,'an improved structure for dumping clothes therefrom, and animproved structure for dumping the washing iiuid therefrom and likewiseto provide for the accomplishment of both of said results by one and thesame element in the structure.

A further object is to provide, in a ma chine of the class described,improved, simple and efficient means for dumping the clothes; improved,simple and eiiicient means 0! for dumping the Washing fluid, improved,

simpleand efficient means for supplying the uid to the interior of themachine, and a simple inexpensive and eiiicient machine for combiningthe above mentioned features.

l rlhe foregoing objects will appear more fully and other objects willappear from the following specification and claims as illustrat/ed inthe accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference indicatecorresponding 7parts throughout, and in which Figure l is a frontelevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, portions thereof being broken away to disclose the interiorand certainv details of construction.

Figure H is a section on line AA of Fig. lf, showing the rotatablesection of the outer cylinder in normal position during the operation.of the machine for washing. .Y

Fig. l showing the rotatable section of the outer cylinder in positionfor dumping the washing fluid from the machine.

' Figure IV is a view also on line AAO Fig. l but showing the rotatablesectiony of the outer cylinder in position for dumping the clothesJfromv the machine.

Figure V is a detail View of a modification of the bearing assemblyincluding a modi- Figure Hl isa section also on line ALA o .modifiedbearingfluid-inlet assembly shown in Fig. V.

The machine will bedescribed as a washing machine but it will beunderstood that,

vwith appropriate modilications, not aecting the present invention andobvious to those skilled in the art, the same may be used as a dryingmachine or for dyeing clothes.

It will also be understoodthat many changes may be made in details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit or substance of theinvention and within the scope of the appended claims.

In suitable supports, as standards 1 bolted to the iioor as vat 2, lprovide bearings 3 and hollow gudgeons 4 which may be formed integralwith webs 5 suitably fastened as by bolts 6 to the ends 7 of therotatable section 7 of the outer casing, said section 7 comprising a tubenclosing, and for holding iiuid to immerse the lower portion `ofcontainer 8' when section 7 is in position shown in Fig. lll.

A. cylindrical clothes container 8, suitably perforated as indicated at9, is provided on its ends with gudgeons l0 revolubly mounted within thehollow gudgeons l whereby at each end of the machine, the gudgeons 10,carrying the clothes container 8, :treely revolvewithin the hollowgudgeons l which serve as bearings for the gudgeons'lO, and hollowgudgeons 4 likewise freely revolve within the bearings 3 andindependently of the gudgeons A10, whereby the clothes container 8 maybe rotated independently of the rotatable section 7 of the outer casingand likewise the rotatable section 7V of the outer casing may be rotatedindependently of the container 8.

The outer casing has, in addition to the l standards l., The section.1 1. is, preferably approximately three-quarter cylindrical, the

front edge thereof being approximately at or a littlebelow thelongitudinal axis of the casing and the rear edge thereof being a littlewithin the section 11 and is preferably about semi-cylindrical, wherebythe section 11 always overlaps sectionv 7, either partially or entirely,according to the position of section 7. The relative circumferentialextent of sections 7 and 11 may be varied as' desired so long as the twotogether form a complete outer casing, the stationary section of whichwill catch and lead to the bottom of themachine any water splashing orotherwise escaping over the edge 7a of the rotatable sec# tion duringeither the washing or dumping operations. 4 i

In the upper portion of section 11, a longitudinal recess 14 is formed,through which extends a pipe 15, adapted to receive steam or washingfluid from any suitable source through and controlled by the valve 16and to admit the same into the interior of the machine throughperforations 17 and such steam or washing iuid will enter the container8 through the perforations 9. l

It will be understood that while the steam or washing iiuid is beingadmitted to the container and thereafter during the washing operationsection 7 will be at the bottom, thus cooperating with section 11v toform a complete outer cylinder as clearly shown at by aiixing toextension 4a of one of the gudgeons 4, a worm gear 23 which meshes withthe worm pinion 24 operated by a inotor indicated at 25, suitablysupported as by a bracket 26. The worm gear 23 may be turned in eitherdirection and when turned 1n one direction it will rotate section 7 tothe position shown in Fig. III, which will open the outer cylinder atthe bottom and allow the washing fluid to flow out of the Inachlne andit will be noted that as section 7 rotates, any of the Huid thatoverflows the receding edge 7a of section 7 *willy stlll be withinsection 11 and will flow down and over the apron 13 into a trough 27. In

dumping the washing fluid from the inachme, the section 7 will berotated to the position shown in Fig. III so as to completely emptyy themachine of the washing fluid. Thereafter the worm gear 23 will beoperated in the opposite ldirect-ion, thus rotating section 7 backthrough the position shown in Fig. II to the Iposition shown in Fig. IV,whereupon the-container 8 will be rotated to the position shown in Fig.IV, so

that the cut-away portions 28 thereof, which cut-away portions are'normally covered by the sliding doors 29, will be at the bottom, wherebythe clothes will drop through the cut-away portions 28 out of thecontainer and into the trough 27 or into any suitable receptacle whichmay be placed beneath the casing. VIt will be obvious that rinse watermay be run from top,to bottom through container 8 from pipe 15 whensection 7 is not in the extreme of either of the dumping positions shownin Figs.- III and IV; that is to say, whenever section 7 does not coverthe under side of pipe 15.

It will be understood that the section 11 is provided with sliding doors30 of usual construction and that the loading of the machine will beaccomplished with the container and section 7 in the position shown inFig. II, but that with the container and section 7 in this position, thedoors 29 and 30 will be opened so as to permit the loading of thecontainer with clothes through the openings or doorways afforded by theopening of the doors 29 and 30.

In the drawing the doors 29 and 30'are shown as sliding doors. Nodetails of construction are shown or described because the constructionof the doors is no part of the present invention. The doors in'a fixedsection of the casing may be of any standard construction'. The doors inthe container are preferably sliding doors which permit rotation of thecontainer with the doors open as well as closed.

Heretofore special drainage means have been provided in cylinderlaundry-machines for emptying the same of the washing Huid. Suchdrainage means generally involve pipes and valves protruding from thecasing and not only cause additional expense in or1g1- nal productionand in the matter of care and repair incident to operation, vbut catchdirt and various articles and generally interfere with operations aroundthe machine, as any projection from the machine will do. Moreover, thedrainage of such a machine through a pipe is comparatively slow andgenerally results in leaving settlings which have to be rinsed out. Allof these objections are overcome by the provision of the rotatablesection of the casing in the present invention, which quickly andcompletely dumps the washing iiuid from the casing and does it soquickly and effectively that no'sett-lings are left to requiresubsequent rinsing. Moreover, the outer surface of the casing is leftcomparatively smooth and free from such projections as pipes, valves,etc.

The advantages resulting from the opening of the bottom of the casing,thus per- Amit-ting the` dumping of the ,clothes from the container bythe simple expedient of inverting the container, Will be obvious tothose familiar with the operation of'washemphasis. j

ing machines and need no explanation or The present invention, not onlygives the ladvantages of quick and complete dumping of Washing fluid, asabove described, and

" the advantages of the Adumping ofthe clothes out of the bottom o f thecontainer entirely l by gravity andA by the simple expedient ofaccomplishedA in a machine'which is of the interior of the machinethrough a hole 32 provided through the bearings 3 and 31.

lin the foregoing specification, structural details have not been dweltupon, but it is believed that the disclosure hereof in the drawing issuflicient in itself to enable anyone familiar with this class ofstructure to construct Y a machine in accordance With this invention,

but sucient description 'of the detail hasv been added in thespecification to eliminate any possible diculty in this regard.

lt will be understood that the machine hereinabove described isparticularly adapted toI I Washmg operations in which the clothes aresuccessively Washed, rinsed, and blued Without removing them from thecontainer 8. Such successive operations involve the use of severalseparate and distinct fluids, each one of which must be removed from orlet out of 'the machine before the next one is injected.

The operation frequently requires as hi h as eight or ten successiveuids, necessitating a corresponding number of eliminations of the Huidsfrom the machine. With this in mind,

the advantages of the independent rotation of the revoluble section 7for the purpose of uncovering the bottom of the machine for quickelimination of fluid therefrom Without regard to the cylinder 8 Will beapparent. At

each of these operations, the machine herein described saves not onlythat time which is ordinarily required to drain the machine through theusual pipe and valve structure, but also empties the machine of Huid,dirt, and sediment in a more effective manner, by reason of thequicknessl of the eliminating operation and the movement of thefluid-containing section 7 Whenever it is moved to dump contained fluid.

In the foregoing specification, reference is made to the use of thismachine for drying purposesl and to modifications thereof for suchpurposes. As ,there stated, various modifications, obvious to thoseskilled in the art, may be made, but it Will also be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that the machine as above described may be used as adrier immediately following the emptying from the machine of the lastfluid to be used. When the fluid is emptied, section 7 may beindependently revolved to the position disclosed in Fig. lV, cylinder 8remaining closed and being revolved or not, as may be desired. Withsection 7 in this position, air, Which may be heated or under pressureor both, maybe let into the machine from the under side and from anysuitable source of supply, which may be positioned under the machine forthis purpose. Such air` Will not only circulate around the cylinder 8,but will penetrate the same through the perforations 9, and such airWill escape at the top of the machine. The rotation of cylinder 8 duringthis drying operation Will facilitate the drying.

lt is therefore obvious that the machine described can be used Withoutsubstantial interruption .for th'e successive. Washing, rinsing, bluing,and drying of the clothes, each of these operations, and especially thesuccessive performance thereof, being greatly facilitated and some ofsaid operations being ren- SUD dered possible, by the structure Whichmakes possible and provides for the rotation of section 7 independentlyof cylinder 8, and to an extent sufficient in either direction touncover the bottom of the machine and the bottom of cylinder 8.

l claim: I

1. ln a laundry machine, a clothes-containing rotatable cage, means forrotating the cage, a tub in outside nested relation to the cage androtatable concentric with, but independently of, the cage, and means forrotating the tub independently of the cage for dumping fluid over theedge of the tub as the same is tipped in the rotation thereof.

2. In a laundry machine a clothes-containing rotatable cage, a rotatabletub outside of, but mounted for rotation concentric With, butindependently of, the cage and normally enclosing vthe lower portion ofthe cage for holding fluid; means for rotating the cage means forrotating the tub in either direction from said normal position andindependently of the cage.

lltli liti 3. In a laundry machine, aclothes-containing rotatable cage,means for rotating the cage, a tubrin outside nested relation to thecage and rotatable concentric with, but in.

dependently of, the cage, means for rotating the tub independently ofthe cage for dumping fluid over the edge of the tub as the same i-stipped in the rotation thereof, and a fixed arcuate fluid guide memberpartially enclosing the tub.

el. In a laundry machine, arotatable clothescontaining cage, an arcuatecasing comprising a plurality of sections, one section being fixed andanother section being rotatable about the axis of the cage between thecage and the fixed section, thecage and the casing being in relativelynested relation, the rotatable section comprising a tub for holdingfluid for immersing the lower portion of the cage, means for rotatingsaid rotatable sec-- tion independently of the cage, said fixed sectioncomprising aportion adapted to guide fluid escaping from the rotatablesection.

5. In a laundry machine, a rotatable clothes-containing cage, a sectionof cylindrical casing adjacent the cage and rotatable about thel axisof, but independent-ly of, the cage and normally enclosing "the lowerporu tion of lthecage to hold fluid, a conduit for conducting fluid fromthe outside to the inside of the machine, means for rotating the saidsection independently ofthe cage, a fixed 'member outside of saidsection and comprising both a cover-for the top of the machine 8. In alaundry machine a rotatable clothes-containing cage having doorways forf loading and unloading the cage, a, section of cylindrical casingadjacent the cage and-'ro- -tatable about the axis of, but independentlyof, the cage and normally enclosing the lower portion of the cage tohold fluid, means for rotating the said section independently of, andfor uncovering the bottom of, the cage, means for rotating the cage,including the bringing of said doorways to the bottom of the cage fordropping clothes therefrom when the bottom of the cage is'uncovered.

9. In a laundry machine, a rotatable clothes-containing cage havingdoorways for loading and unloading the cage, an arcuate casingcomprising a plurality of sections, one

section being fixed and another sec-tion being mounted for rotationabout the axis of the cage between the cage and the fixed section, thecage andthe casing bein in relatively nested relation, the rotatab esection normally comprising a tub for holding fluid for immersing thelower portion of the cage,

means for rotating said rotatable'section independently of, and foruncovering the bottom of, the cage, means for rotating the' cage,including the bringing of said doorwaysto the bottom of the cage fordropping clothes therefrom when the bottom of the cage is uncovered.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

I JAMES N. WHITE.

and a guide for fluid escaping from said secn tion,` said fluid 'conduitbeing positioned beneath said cover` and above the'arc of rotation ofthe sec-tion.

6. In a laundry machine, a rotatable clothes-containing cage, a sectionof cylindrical casing adjacent the cage and rotatable about the axis of,but independently of, the L cage and normally enclosing the lowerportion of the cage to hold fluid, a conduit for conducting fluid fromthe outside to the inside of the machine, means for rotating the saidsection independently of the cage, a fixed member outside of saidsection and comprising a cover for the top of the machine, said fluidconduit being positioned beneath said cover and above the'arc ofrotation of the section.

